Professional Documents
Culture Documents
How Much Did Early Christians Refer To The Old Testament?: - Mar. 2020 Version
How Much Did Early Christians Refer To The Old Testament?: - Mar. 2020 Version
2020 version
It is agreed that early Christians accepted the Old Testament, but it is interesting to compare the documented references of the Old Testament to the New. This chart showed who referred to which Old Testament
passages and when. The apocrypha and pseudepigrapha are listed in a separate chart.
Rows: red = persecution of Christians, Green = heresy, Orange = schism, Pale blue = Bible manuscripts, pink = strange teacher, brown = Christians persecuting others
W = Books and quotes mentioned by name or by writer G = Quoted as God or Lord says or God’s Word I = Implied (i.e. minor vs. 12) blank = not researched yet X = rejected - no reference found
S = Referred to as scripture, law, or prophet said g = Mentions Kings with no allusion or reference E =not scripture but good to read Q = quotes 1 or more verses ½ = quote of ½ verse A = Allusion
Christian writer, heretic, or Bible Pages Date A.D. O La Gn Ex Lv Nm Dt Josh Jdg Ru 1Sa 2Sa 1 2 1Ch 2Ch Ezr Ne Esth Job Ps Pr Ec Sof Isa Je Lam Ez Da 12 Ho Joe
manuscript T w m m Ki Ki r r h S r e n s l
Rahlfs 957 manuscript (Dt 25:1-3, Greek) <1 200-100 B.C. - - - - - - Q - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Rahlfs 848 ms. (Dt 31:28-30; 32:1-7, Greek) <1 100-1 B.C. - - - - - - Q - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Rahlfs 814 ms. (Gen 14:12-15, Greek Sept.) <1 150-200 A.D. - - Q - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Menander then Satorninos/ Saturnilus c.150-4th Cerdo & Menander from Simon in Acts. Encratite gnostics came from Saturnilus.
(ascetic Gnostics)
Dionysius of Corinth (against Marcion) 1/3 170 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Tatian, pupil of Justin, later Encratite 18+86 c.172 - - A - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ½ - - - W W - - - - - -
Basilides & his pupil Isidorus, 2.5 132-135-4th - - A - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1
changed from Menander's teaching
Sethian Gnostics (libertine) 20 ?-4th cen. - - A - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Hermetic Gnostics (no mention of 6 ?-4th cen. - - A - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Christ)
Valentinians including Heracleon, 23+12 c.150-4th - - A - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Colorbasus, Marcus, & Ptolemy
Other gnostics: Cainites, 37 c.150-4th - - A - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Carpocrates, Docetics, Peretae, century
Cerinthus, Dositheus, Monoimus,
Hermogenes, Marcillinians,
Melchisedecians, Nicolaus, Ophites,
Secundus/Epiphanes
Athenagoras (apologist) 33 ½ 177 - - A - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - S - - W W - - - - - -
Christians of Vienna and Lugdunum 6½ 177 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A - - - -
Persecution of Marcus Aurelius 162/166-180 Aurelius was a Stoic philosopher. Persecution, mainly in Gaul, ended with his death.
Claudius Apollinaris of Hierapolis ½ 160-177/180 - W - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Melito/Meleto of Sardis (Quartodec.) 11 170-177/180 W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W - X* X W W W W W W W X* W W W - -
Hegesippus (chronicler) 2½ 170-180 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - W W - - - - - -
Rhodon (against Marcion & Apelles) ½ 180 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Theophilus of Antioch (to Autolycus) 32 168-181/188 - - W G - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Q W W - - W W - W W - W W
Ebionites (O.T. Mt, observe Law, 265 ½ - 188 - - W Q W ½ W W S A - - - A - - A - - - - S A A - S S W A A - S -
Father, Son) Clementina, Protoevangelium
Irenaeus of Lyons, Polycarp’s disciple 284 ¾ 182-188 W W W W ½ W W W S - W Q Q A - - - - - - W W - A W W ¼ W W W W S
Passion of the Scillitan Martyrs ¾ 180-202 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Maximus of Jerusalem 5 185-196 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Polycrates of Ephesus (Quartodec.) ½ 196 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Caius and the Muratorian Canon 3 190-217 W - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - W - - - - - - - - - - -
Sabellian heresy (Praxeas, Noetus, Callistus) 200-257- Sabellians believed the Father, Son, & Spirit were one person. This view allows that the Father suffered & died on the cross, hence they were also called Patrip
Persecution of Septimus Severus 202 Est. 2M Christians. Although a Christian helped him through a severe illness, he did not repeal existing laws against Christians.
Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas 7 c.201/205 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Romans kill first known martyrs in Britain 209 Alban, Julius, and Aaron were formerly thought killed in 304/5 A.D.
Hesychius 1 Martyred - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[Egypt],Pachomius,Phileas,Theodor m11
4
us
Donatus Magnus (Donatists) in 311-411- Refused to accept those who had ever surrendered their scriptures to authorities
North Africa 533
Methodius (against Origen) 79 ½ 260-311/12 W W W W W W W - W - - - S A - - - - - W W S A W W W W W - - - W
Council of Ancyra (about 12 bishops) 3 1/3 314 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Council of Arles I, France. All 0.33 Aug. 314
celebrate Easter on the same day.
Ex-communicated Donatists. First
mention of a pope in Rome.
Council of Neocaesarea (Basil and 1 1/3 c.315 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
others)
Theophilus’ Martyrdom of Habib the 5½ events - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - S - - - - - -
Deacon c.315
Athanasius Against the Heathen & 56 318 - W W - - W W - - - - - - - - - - - - - S - Q - S S - - W - ½ -
Incarnation
Licinius tyrannizes Christians east Rom. 315-323 Persecution because of politics, due to Christian support of his foe, Constantine.
Empire
Lactantius, tutor of Constantine’s 305.5 c.303-c.325 W - ½ A - W W W - - W W W A Q - - Q - - W W - - W W - A W W W -
son
Alexander of Alexandria -Origenist, 11.5 313-326 W W G - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - W G - - - - - - - - - -
undisputed
Christian writer totals: all symbols 4301. up to 325 21 19 29 21 13 18 19 12 6 1 12 7 15 10 4 5 1 2-1 3-1 14 25 22 12 9 29 23 4 19 17 9 14 11
except P’s 25
Arian heresy spreads, starting in c.318 Arians believed that Jesus was God, but not the same substance as the Father, and there was a time when Jesus was not.
Alexandria
Constantine makes Christianity the official Fall-Winter Non-violently closed pagan temples so that his subjects would attend churches instead. Except that he executed the priests at Apollos' temple in Dydima in Asi
religion 324 Christians.
Council of Nicea (about 318 bishops 3 May-June - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
present) condemns Arianism 325
Juvencus (wrote a commentary: The 329 - - - - - - - - - -
Gospels)
Persian king Shapur II persecutes 315,325-381 Persian Christian double-taxed after Constantine became a Christian. Violent persecution after 325. In Mesopotamia alone 1,150 Christian killed.
Christians
Persian Shapur II attack Christian Lakhmid 325 In retaliation for prior raids into Persia, 60,000 soldiers kill everyone in al-Hera.
Arabs
Eustathius of Antioch (against 3½ 323-337
Origen)
Eusebius of Caesarea (leader at c.404 318-339/340 W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W I I
Nicea)
Synod of Antioch in Encaeniis (97 3½ 341 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
bishops)
Mild Arian Creed of Antioch 1 c.341-344 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Council of Sardica 5 343/344 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Aphrahat/Aphraates the Syrian 67 ¼ 337-345 - W A A S G W A A A A A A A - A - - W W W W Q - W W W W W - W S
Select Demonstrations
5
The Macrostich Creed 2 344/345 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Formicus Maternus On the Error of 348
Profane Religions
A Poem on the Passion of the Lord 1 c.350 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Vaticanus manuscript [B] in Greek 325-350 - - W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W
Sinaiticus manuscript [Aleph] in Greek 340-350 - - W - W - - - - - - - - - W - W W W - W W W W W W W - - - - -
Amon 4th century
Cyrillones, Syriac poet Six Hymns 4th century
Faustus of Milevis/Milevum 4th century
(Manichaean)
Hegemonius Acts of Archelaus 52 ¾ 4th century W W W A - W W - - - ¼ - - - - - - - - - A Q - - - - - - - - - -
Philo of Carpasia 4th century
1st Council of Sirmium (Greek 1½ 351 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
creed)
Julius 1, bishop of Rome 352
Ammonas (a founder of 340-348/53
monasticism)
Theodore of Heraclea 355
Council of Arminium, Nicene/Arian ½ 355 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
compromise
Synod of Seleucia in Isauria 1/5 357/358 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Eusebius of Emesa c.359
Potamius of Lisbon, Portugal c.350-360
Jews forbidden to set foot in Jerusalem 325-361 Constantine forbids Jews to be in Jerusalem. Julian later rescinds this law.
Arian Roman Emperor Constantius 337-353- Orthodox bishops were banished, and Athanasius had to go into hiding.
361
Arian Creed of Nica in Thrace ½ 356-361 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
10
X* means the Lamentations was not mentioned, but was sometimes included with Jeremiah.
Nehemiah was not mentioned was sometimes included with Esther.
Note that the Ebionites undoubtedly accepted all of the Old Testament, but the chart above
only reflects the references to Old Testament books in the writings we have.
So how accurate does the previous chart reflect what each writer believed was scripture? We
can do two validation tests.
First, we can compare one of Tertullian’s works, Five Books Against Marcion (194 pages)
with the rest of his preserved works (741) pages. Counting an allusion as 15%, a quote as
25%, a reference to the apostles, etc. as 50% and a reference to Christ, God, Savior 75%, Five
Books Against Marcion only picked up 6 books, verses 21.9 books in the rest of Tertullian.
Second, we can compare Rufinus’ 469 pages, with a 21-page commentary where he spells out
clearly what He believes Scripture is (identical to the Protestant and Jews Old Testament
today with apocryphal books being merely “ecclesiastical”). The 469 pages only picked up
19.55 books out of 39 we know for certain that he accepted. Curiously, his list did not include
Lamentations, though he quoted from “the Lamentations of Jeremiah”. So in his list he
apparently included Lamentations with Jeremiah.
The second example shows that we will be more accurate to count any allusion or higher as
showing they accepted the book as scripture. If we recomputed the numbers, we get:
So while the preceding chart is accurately for showing some of what they accepted as
scripture, it underestimates all the Old Testament books they accepted as scripture.
by Steven M. Morrison, PhD.
11